Words and labels make a big difference in our lives. How you answer this question can make all the difference for a person you love.

"Disability" or "Handicapped"?

Do the words disability and handicapped mean the same thing? The short answer is NO. Disability and handicapped do not mean the same thing. And the differences are important.

Is Stevie Wonder handicapped? Does Stevie Wonder have a disability?

"A DISABILITY refers to a reduction of function or the absence of a particular body part or organ."

So YES, Stevie Wonder, who is blind, would qualify as a person with a disability. A disability is usually a lifelong condition: autism, an intellectual disability (the new term for mental retardation), cerebral palsy, or being deaf or blind.

Does Stevie Wonder have a handicap?

"A HANDICAP is viewed as a disadvantage resulting from a disability that limits or prevents fulfillment."

Does being blind prevent Stevie Wonder from singing or achieving personal fulfillment as an entertainer? NO. So Stevie Wonder, though he has a disability, does not have a handicap. Does Stevie Wonder need support? Of course. If Stevie Wonder did not have a personal assistant or any of the other modifications and adaptations he needed, then he might be handicapped.

See the difference?

Terrence Parkin swam in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, winning a Silver Medal for South Africa. Does he have a disability? Yes, he is deaf. Does he have a handicap? Not as long as they add strobe light signals to the usual auditory buzzer to start the race. If however, the committee didn't agree to add the strobe lights, then Terrence would have been handicapped and unable to participate in the Olympic Summer Games. Being handicapped can depend on the attitudes and social construction of the culture.

Disability is socially constructed

Like many people my age, I have trouble reading small print, (Disability). If I lived in a society where there were no books, or it was against the law to teach women to read, it might not matter if my eyesight was as sharp as it was when I was younger. However, in my culture, so many people wear glasses there is no stigma attached to having the disability of poor eyesight. So, I do not have a handicap. If I use a wheelchair and the building is accessible, I can still have a disability, but I can go to the grocery, do my banking... and not be handicapped. (I hope this makes sense. We will talk more about this in a future post.)

Why is this important?

If you or someone you love has a disability, it is not the end of the world. Even though there might not be a medical miracle or cure at this time, the disability is just a disability. No one wants to be different than anyone else. No one wants to have a harder time doing things than other people, but with the right supports it is possible to have a fulfilling and satisfying life, and not be handicapped.

This is a message full of hope. Robert Schuller says, "Look at what you have left, not what you have lost." Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapists, Teachers, Counselors, as well as family members, friends and neighbors can look at their attitudes toward a person with a "disability" and rather than get stuck on something they can't fix, instead spend their energy on creating an inclusive environment that is accessible for all of us.

This is our call to action: We can each think about what we can add, subtract or change to the environment to give a person with a disability the support they need so they will never have to be handicapped.

In the comments tell me what you are thinking. Do you have a story to share? How are you making your child or loved one less handicapped?

Keep Climbing: Onward and Upward

All my best,
Mary

Reference: Bauer and Shea (1997) Special education: A social systems perspective. Brown and Benchmark: Chicago.p. 12.